my dreams, it's never quite as it seems
by hazelvv
Summary: life isn't always border wars and territory conflicts; sometimes it's convincing a warrior to let you take a thorn from his paw, and sometimes it's an afternoon relaxing with your deputy.
1. Mousefoot

_quick a/n: this is just going to be a bunch of sweet slice of life sort of things that may be connected at times. i'm mostly using this to get back in to writing._

* * *

**RiverClan**

_Leader: _Whitestar (white tom with brown tail tip)

_Deputy: _Mistwing (tortoiseshell she-cat)

_Medicine Cat:_ Brightcreek (pretty dark silver tabby she-cat)

_Warriors: _

Timberclaw (orange tabby tom)

Bluestream (blue-grey she-cat)

Petalfoot (grey and white she-cat)

Quietwater (calico she-cat)

Otterstep (grey tabby tom)

Mintheart (white she-cat with green eyes)

Juniperfern (cream coloured tom) apprentice: Amberpaw

Heronswipe (deep brown tom)

Cloversplash (dilute calico she-cat) apprentice: Finpaw

_Apprentices: _

Finpaw (dark grey spotted tabby tom)

Amberpaw (grey-brown she-cat)

_Queens: _

Mousefoot (brown tabby she-cat) kits: Puddlekit (light brown tom), Larchkit (grey she-cat)

_Elders: _

Flamecloud (spotted tabby tom)

Marshfall (silver grey tom)

* * *

Mousefoot was only really half-listening to Puddlekit while he wailed and cried into the soft fur of her stomach. Her tongue lapped over his head. It was wet, and she couldn't figure out if it was because of her or because of that fall he had taken into the river earlier.

"Come on now, my little minnow. How are you ever going to be a big, strong RiverClan warrior if you don't like the water?"

Puddlekit was nearing three moons; much too old to be babied like this. But while Larchkit was tough and independent, Puddlekit craved his mother's attention. Mousefoot was well aware that, soon enough, her son would be leaving the nursery, to be raised until a warrior by a different cat. It made her heart twist painfully, so she would let him do as he pleased. She'd miss her kits once they became apprentices.

"The water is just so cold!" Puddlekit exclaimed, his tears finally subsiding, raising his head to look her in the eyes. Mousefoot gave him the sweetest expression she could, lapping her tongue over his cheek.

"My sweet, it can't be that cold! Didn't you see the big warriors coming through it this morning?" Mousefoot asked gently. Puddlekit responded by burying his face into her chest, and the queen stroked her paw down his spine.

He seemed determined to sulk, so Mousefoot tried another approach. She lowered her head down to his ear and spoke quietly, as if she were telling a secret.

"Did you know Otterstep was scared of the water too?"

Puddlekit lifted his head, eyes wet and watery, and angled his ears towards her. "Was he?"

Otterstep was known as the strongest swimmer in RiverClan. Mousefoot had been apprenticed just before he was born, and had been persuaded to try and urge him to swim. Although, at that point, he was a stubborn drypaw, and for a while it seemed he would never swim. But she had managed to convince him to try, so she'd manage to convince Puddlekit.

"Oh, yes. He wailed when he was told to learn to swim," She nodded slowly. "But do you know what, Puddlekit?"

Puddlekit's voice was quiet when he answered. "What?"

"He learnt that the water wasn't so scary, after a while. And now look at him! Isn't he so good?"

Puddlekit still didn't look entirely convinced, sitting in front of his mother with a dissatisfied pout. "Maybe, but _I'm _still not going to swim."

Mousefoot held back the urge to sigh. "Larchkit isn't scared of the water – you're just going to let her beat you?"

His ears perked up again. Ah, of course. All kits could be persuaded with the threat of a littermate beating them in some way, and Puddlekit was no exception. His tiny brow furrowed, cogs turning in his head while he mulled over his mother's words.

"Hm…"

Mousefoot tilted her head, waiting for any kind of response. He and his sister were such opposites, even in this situation. Larchkit charged head-first into impulsive decisions but Puddlekit preferred to think logically, even if he wasn't too good at it at this stage.

"If I don't go in the water, I'm never gonna be a warrior…"

"That's right," Mousefoot reached down to lick his forehead. He bristled, the thought of being a warrior momentarily making him reject his mother's affection, but he quickly let his fur lie flat.

"Then I can stay with you in the nursery, right?"

The queen held back her laughter and shook her head. "No dear, I'll go back to being a warrior and then you can stay in the nursery all by yourself!"

Fear flashed through Puddlekit's expression. "And I'll stay Puddlekit forever?"

Mousefoot nodded. "And you'll stay Puddlekit forever."

He thought again, for another long moment, and then admitted defeat. "I _guess _I can stop being scared of the stream."

"There's my brave little minnow," Mousefoot purred, rubbing her cheek along his head.

"But not right now," He insisted, curling into her soft fur.

Mousefoot laughed. "No, not right now. Take as much time as you need."


	2. Sheepstar

**WindClan**

_Leader: _Sheepstar (thin fluffy white tom)

_Deputy: _Heathernose (dusty brown she-cat with a white patch over her left eye)

_Medicine Cat:_ Rabbitleap (gentle grey she-cat with white paws)

_Warriors: _

Gorsefeather (sandy-brown tom)

Hayblaze (golden brown tom with white paws and tail)

Mudpelt (muddy brown tabby tom)

Palewind (spotted tabby she-cat) apprentice: Breezepaw

Harestorm (ginger tabby tom)

Rocknose (sturdy black tom) apprentice: Cloudpaw

Rosetooth (white she-cat with sharp teeth) apprentice: Grasspaw

Stormgaze (white and grey tom)

Twigclaw (brown she-cat)

Whiskertuft (grey tom with long whiskers)

_Apprentices:_

Grasspaw (small black tom)

Cloudpaw (white she-cat)

Breezepaw(brown tom)

_Queens: _

Honeystem (golden brown she-cat)

Cinderstep (grey she-cat) kits: Stonekit (grey she-cat), Sandkit (pale brown she-cat)

Sunear (brown tabby she-cat) kits: Tansykit (tabby tom)

_Elders: _

Kinkmask (brown tom)

Morningfoot (white she-cat with single brown paw)

Nutdapple (grey and white she-cat)

* * *

The sun was warm on Sheepstar's fur, and he resisted the urge to stretch out in the warmth and nap. He was leader after all, and there were more important things that he should be doing. Heathernose was seated next to him, her eyes watching over the clan with such intent that she could easily be mistaken for the leader instead of Sheepstar himself. She'd make a fine leader one day.

"Harestorm was telling me about the ThunderClan patrol you met on the border earlier," He began, getting his deputy's attention straight away. "He said something about them nearly crossing the border; is that correct?"

Heathernose nodded evenly. "They had chased prey over our side of the border and were about to cross it to retrieve it."

Sheepstar decided to stretch out in the warmth. It wouldn't look professional or dignified, but it was much too nice a day to give it up. He stretched himself across the dusty earth, looking up at Heathernose while she watched with a mildly exasperated look.

"How far over the border would they have crossed?" Sheepstar asked. Heathernose lashed her tail.

"Far enough," She answered icily. The white tom rolled his eyes.

"A border is a border, and I understand that, but if they didn't have to go far, I don't see a problem with letting them go."

Heathernose didn't see it that way. While Sheepstar was considerably softer, Heathernose was firm, abiding by the rules with a no-nonsense attitude. It was almost funny.

"They'd think we were going soft," Heathernose argued. "They'd start pushing it if we let them cross the border to get prey. WindClan needs prey too, you know."

Sheepstar laughed it off. "It's just prey, Heathernose. They aren't planning an attack."

However, they both knew that ThunderClan was becoming pushier and pushier as of late. Not to any extremes, but Birchstar had made some bold statements at the last gathering. Whether anything would come of them was anyone's guess.

Heathernose looked troubled at Sheepstar's remark, obviously thinking of the truth in his words. Sheepstar was quick to soothe her.

"Even ThunderClan can't be that mousebrained," He mewed. "Birchstar is all talk. You know that."

The she-cat still didn't look convinced, but she laid herself down beside the leader and gently lapped at his white fur. "We should still keep the ThunderClan border well patrolled."

"That is a good idea," Sheepstar admitted. "I want you to be on as many of those patrols as you can. If you can't, get another of the senior warriors to take charge. I don't want to antagonise ThunderClan if possible, but I want a cat who knows what they're doing if an attack does break out."

"And a younger warrior won't react well, I know that," Heathernose finished for him. "You can trust me. I'll make sure everything goes smoothly."

Sheepstar purred. "You really are the best deputy a leader could ask for."

Heathernose, pelt flushing at the compliment, simply lowered her head. "I do my best, sir."


	3. Badgerpaw

**SkyClan**

_Leader: _Littestar (small ginger she-cat)

_Deputy: _Sorrelpool (black she-cat with blue eyes) apprentice: Pouncepaw

_Medicine Cat:_ Oatcloud (spotted black and white tom)

Softwillow (white she-cat)

_Warriors: _

Robinfur (orange and white tom)

Molefern (dark brown tom)

Talonmask (large sandy-brown tom) apprentice: Badgerpaw

Hollowsun (white tom)

Shadestripe (brown tabby she-cat) apprentice: Featherpaw

Fleetfang (grey and white tom)

Dewgaze (calico she-cat)

Redtuft (orange tom)

_Apprentices: _

Featherpaw (pretty soft furred silver tabby she-cat)

Pouncepaw (grey tom)

Badgerpaw (black and white she-cat)

_Queens: _

Duckspot (thick-furred brown and white she-cat)

Brownfoot (light brown she-cat) kits: Hawkkit (dark brown tabby tom), Jaykit (brown and white tom), Goosekit (grey and white tom)

_Elders: _

Hazelpelt (ragged brown tabby tom)

Plumnose (blue-grey tom)

Rainclaw (tortoiseshell she-cat)

* * *

As soon as she and Talonmask returned to the camp, Badgerpaw made a dash for the apprentices den. Training had gone about as well as it always did, with Talonmask yelling at her for every little mistake she made, and with no way to defend herself.

Sometimes it just felt like the whole of SkyClan hated her.

She curled up in her familiar nest and placed her tail tip over her nose with the intent to nap. She almost succeeded, until she felt another cat curl around her. She knew exactly who it was.

"Go away Featherpaw," She grumbled, scrunching her eyes up even tighter.

She felt Featherpaw purr and rest her head against Badgerpaw's. "Did you have another terrible training session?" She asked sympathetically. Even if the rest of the clan didn't care, Badgerpaw was glad for Featherpaw and her company.

"Come on Badger. Talk to me."

Badgerpaw's fur rose along her spine and she hissed softly. "I said go away."

Featherpaw began to coax the burrs that were still tangled in her fur from her training session out with her gentle paws. "Gosh, its amazing that your name matches your personality!"

The black and white apprentice chose to ignore her denmate, and at that Featherpaw seemed to understand the extent of her unhappiness.

The two were quiet for a moment, and Badgerpaw opened her eyes to stare out of the entrance of the den sullenly. "What did Talonmask do this time?" Featherpaw asked softly, her eyes still trained on the burrs stuck in Badgerpaw's fur.

"First, he never bothered to try and explain what was wrong with fighting moves," Badgerpaw said sourly. "And then he said that he can't even believe I'm Molefern's kit!"

Everyone in SkyClan knew of the rocky relationship Molefern had with his kits. Softwillow and Hollowsun, from his previous mate, had practically been abandoned once they were apprentices, and the same had happened to Badgerpaw. Except they had the support of their mother, Dogwhisker. Badgerpaw on the other hand had no one; her mother had died when she was still a kit due to a rough bout of whitecough which had also taken Dogwhisker.

"Molefern just doesn't know what he's missing," Featherpaw said critically. All the burrs were out of Badgerpaw's fur now and she brushed down the matted fur with her paw.

All this talk of her father made the unhappiness grow in Badgerpaw's stomach. "Hollowsun doesn't even talk to me, and neither does Softwillow, unless she needs to."

Featherpaw curled herself around Badgerpaw once more. "I know," She soothed. "I know."

The den went silent for another long moment. "But you know that I love you, don't you Badger?"

Badgerpaw's fur felt hot. Yes, she knew that Featherpaw loved her, but it sounded strange for it to actually be spoken out loud. She closed her eyes again. "Yeah, I know."

Featherpaw's tongue rasped over her head. "And I'll love you forever, you know that too?"

"Yeah, and I'll love you forever too, Featherpaw."

Featherpaw purred, and the two she-cats, flushed, found it nice to just _be_ together.


	4. Spiderpaw

**ThunderClan**

_Leader: _Birchstar (black tom with white flecks throughout fur)

_Deputy: _Ivytangle (grey tom)

_Medicine Cat:_ Toadcall (brown tom with white underbelly)

_Warriors: _

Sootwhisker (grey tom)

Poppydust (beautiful golden she-cat)

Dawnbreeze (reddish-brown she-cat) apprentice: Spiderpaw

Greyfern (grey tom with white tail) apprentice: Dovepaw

Foxpelt (red tom with busy tail)

Eaglestreak (golden tom) apprentice: Fawnpaw

Frostwhisker (white tom with grey eyes) apprentice: Acornpaw

Patchfur (red-brown tom with white patches)

Quailwing (quiet light brown tabby she-cat)

_Apprentices: _

Spiderpaw (black and white tom)

Acornpaw (brown tom with darker highlights)

Dovepaw (white she-cat with fluffy fur)

Fawnpaw (brown and white she-cat)

_Queens: _

Ebonyclaw (black tabby she-cat)

_Elders: _

Leafjaw (blind black tom)

Skywing (grey she-cat)

* * *

There was half eaten mouse scattered by Spiderpaw's feet. As the oldest apprentice, his denmates, who had only recently been made apprentices, still hung on to every word he spoke. Spiderpaw already had a bit of an ego, and the obsessive way the younger apprentices looked up to him made him nearly insufferable. Dawnbreeze was hoping that, once the other apprentices got a bit more experience, Spiderpaw's exaggerated tales would calm down, and he would be easier to manage.

"It was a patrol made up of Gorsefeather, Rosetooth, Whiskertuft and Grasspaw," He was saying in a hushed voice. "And we could smell their scent from our side of the border."

Of course the ThunderClan patrol could scent the WindClan warriors; the wind had carried the scent over the border. But Spiderpaw would never admit that – this lie made for a much more interesting story.

Fawnpaw's mouth was agape. "Were they stealing prey?"

Spiderpaw responded by nodding solemnly. "I think so. We saw blood right on the edge of the border!"

What Spiderpaw wasn't tell was that, in the days beforehand, a scuffle had emerged on the border, one in which he was not a part of. The other apprentices didn't seem to realise, getting sucked into his contrived plot of prey-stealing.

"Ivytangle said, "What are you doing so close to our border?""

Dovepaw leaned over to her sister and nodded, as if affirming Spiderpaw's story. "Yeah, Greyfern told me that Ivytangle told _him_ that some dumb WindClan cat was about to mark _our_ border. It must have been this time, when Spiderpaw was there."

Spiderpaw took that story and ran with it. "Yes! Yeah, Rosetooth told Ivytangle to leave them alone, right? But he didn't. And Grasspaw – you won't know who Grasspaw is, but anyway – got all up in Ivytangle's face and told him to get lost!"

Acornpaw scrunched his nose up, starting to lose belief in the story. "Yeah? And why didn't Ivytangle say something about it?"

The black and white tom stopped, looking at Dovepaw and Fawnpaw critically, waiting for any indication of what they were feeling. Dovepaw's eyes narrowed towards him, and Spiderpaw nervously angled his ears towards the den entrance.

"Oh? Was that Dawnbreeze? I guess I've got to go!" Spiderpaw said quickly, leaving the den rapidly, and leaving the three other apprentices behind to complain loudly about his story.


	5. Thrushcry

**ShadowClan**

_Leader: _Ashstar (dark grey tom)

_Deputy: _Adderfang (dark brown tabby tom with a scarred muzzle)

_Medicine Cat:_ Thrushcry (light grey tom with white underbelly and paws)

_Warriors: _

Weaselshade (deep brown tom with white throat)

Specklefur (golden brown tabby tom)

Pinefrost (grey she-cat) apprentice: Barkpaw

Longwhisker (black tom)

Yellowswipe (long furred tortoiseshell she-cat)

Jaypelt (silver grey tom)

Lichenheart (grey tom)

Aspendawn (grey tabby tom)

_Apprentices: _

Barkpaw (dark brown tabby tom)

_Queens: _

Buzzardflight (white she-cat) kits: Wolfkit (grey tom), Shadekit (grey and white tom)

Deertooth (light brown she-cat) kits: Poppykit (brown she-cat), Foxkit (reddish-brown tom), Owlkit (brown and white she-cat)

_Elders:_

Jumptail (black tom)

Dapplewing (spotted tabby she-cat)

Coalmist (dark grey and white tom)

* * *

Thrushcry's tail wrapped around his paws as he waited patiently for the other medicine cats to arrive. He usually got to the Moonpool first, always willing to leave the camp for a few moments longer. Deertooth was always worrying about Owlkit, who had been born small and sickly, and when it wasn't Deertooth, there always seemed to be one of the elders asking for help or company. Really, it was tiring.

He heard the bushes rustle, and out popped Brightcreek's joyful, silver face. The RiverClan medicine cat was sweet and pleasant, although pretty forgettable. "Thrushcry! You're here early!" The she-cat purred, stepping out and sitting beside him.

"Not at all – I'm usually here at this time; _you're _early," He meowed warmly. Brightcreek, as jovial as always, nodded.

"I suppose you're right! I figured that I should get here earlier while my den was empty."

The two cats sat silently for a few moments, waiting to see if any other cats would show up, but when they didn't, Brightcreek turned to Thrushcry, head tipped to the side curiously.

"Oh! I wanted to ask you if I could gather some coltsfoot in ShadowClan territory."

Thrushcry flicked his ears. "Sickness?" He guessed, and Brightcreek shrugged.

"Finpaw hurt his paws on the stones by the lake and I used the rest of my coltsfoot on him, and I heard from Rabbitleap that you let her take some from your territory once, and she said it was so much better than the weaker stuff that grows in our territory."

The tom flicked his ears again. "Well, I have plenty at the moment, so I will let you take some. It's close by your border so you should be able to find it by yourself."

Brightcreek's expression lifted. "Oh, thank you!"

"I'll let the patrol know that you might be on our territory. Just be careful, and make sure you get it tomorrow."

Brightcreek purred and butted her head against his shoulder. "Of course!"

Thrushcry rolled his eyes. "The others will be here soon, and then we'll speak with StarClan."


End file.
